The Lady or the Tiger?
by Cattykit
Summary: [InuKag][AU] After being falsely accused of a crime, Inuyasha is put under the Trial. But when the unexpected happens, how will his wife, Kagome, deal with the changes?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: Inuyasha doesn't belong to me, but oh if he did… :cackles madly:

**A/N**: Okay, I know you guys are thinking, "What the HELL is she doing, writing another fic when she's got three others that she has updated in a freaking year?" Well, I totally agree with you. I'm so sorry, but I just can't get any sort of inspiration for those other fics! Every time I look at those blank documents, I can't think of anything to write that isn't extremely dumb or cliché, so I'm sorry! I'll try to do the best I can to get them finished up.

Anyway, I've had this idea for quite a while and I've _actually_ got it all planned out and stuff. It's only four chapters long, so I'll hopefully get it done without any writer's blocks getting in my way :knocks on wood: This fic was inspired by a short story called "The Lady or the Tiger?" and it's very good. I recommend reading it, but you don't need to read it to understand my fic. I think I've explained it well enough.

Also, the tone of this story is more mature and formal than my other fics because I'm trying to continue the sort of tone that the real short story gives off (which is more sophisticated sounding than I could _ever_ hope to achieve). Anyway, hope you enjoy!

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**The Lady or the Tiger?****Chapter I**

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"Stop! Thief!" several voices shouted. The sound of footsteps trampling the ground sounded through the open-air market.

A lone figure clad in a dull brown cloak turned his head toward the commotion behind him. Suddenly, the cause of the ruckus made itself known. Another figure, clad in similar brown apparel barreled out from around a building, sneaking glances behind him as he ran. In his hands was a burlap sack, no doubt carrying stolen goods. The first man stepped in the way of the thief, blocking his escape, but the thief, preoccupied with watching for the guards never saw this. He ran straight into the man, knocking them both over.

"Get off! Let go!" Shouted the thief, but the man had a strong hold on his bag. Giving a nervous glance behind him, the thief gave up and made a break for it, dashing away until he disappeared around a corner.

Inuyasha stood up and dusted down his cloak. He looked up just in time to see several burly guards rushing toward him. In the blink of an eye, they had him on the ground, prostrate, with his hands held firmly behind him. One guard snatched up the bag he'd dropped. He looked inside and nodded vigorously, confirming that they had their man.

"Wait! You've got the wrong guy!" Inuyasha protested, his voice muffled by the dirt floor. "The real thief's already gotten away!"

"Okay, buddy, well you can tell it to the king." A guard sneered, "The only _real_ way you'll prove your innocence is through the Trial."

Inuyasha felt a spark of fear lance through his body. The Trial of the lady or the tiger was proposed decades ago by the semi-barbaric king who ruled the prosperous City. He was a passionate man and intelligent, but part of him – or more precisely half of him – was very much barbaric in nature, hence the title of "semi-barbaric". And because he was semi-barbaric, his laws, or more importantly in this case his punishments, were equally semi-barbaric. The man accused of crime would approach twin doors within an arena. If he were innocent, a beautiful princess would await him within the chambers of the door he opened. But if he were guilty, the jaws of a ferocious tiger would be his fate.

And so, with justified apprehension, Inuyasha followed the guards toward the palace of the semi-barbaric king to await his judgment for a crime he did not commit.

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Miles away, Inuyasha's wife, Kagome, was cooking in the kitchen of their cozy home, unaware of her husband's terrible predicament. It was the eve of their second anniversary and in a childishly romantic state of mind, she daydreamed of the different possibilities that he might celebrate their marriage. Although Kagome was approaching her twenty-first year of life and had known Inuyasha for eight of those years, she was still very much in love with him.

A knock on the door interrupted her reveries. Setting down her mixing bowl, she patted the flour on her hands onto her apron and opened the door. A confused look crossed her face as she saw the two city guards standing before her.

"Is there a problem, sirs?" she asked nervously.

The two men nodded gravely. The man on the left spoke, "I'm afraid there is, ma'am. Earlier this morning, a man we have identified as your husband was arrested for stealing. The Trial for his judgment will take place three days from now and we ask that you attend." With that said, the men left, leaving Kagome frozen in shock.

Slowly, she closed the door and leaned against it for support. Her husband? A felon? She couldn't bring herself to believe it. He was the most honorable man she knew; he would never stoop to the level of a petty thief.

A shock of fear struck her as she thought about the Trial. Although she was supported the king and gave him nothing short of loyalty, Kagome was a sensible woman and she knew it wasn't the Trial that decided if a man was guilty or innocent; it was luck and luck alone. She clutched her face in terror as she thought about the tiger, hungry and fierce, as he tore into her beloved husband's body. Oh, the blood! She couldn't bear it.

But would the alternative be any better? And she thought about the lady. Beautiful and loving, she would accept her husband with her pale, white arms and a dazzling smile. And they would be married before her, before everyone, and no one would care that a poor, simple peasant had lost the love of her life.

Tears streaked down Kagome's face and she forgot about the dinner she had been prepared to make for her dear husband. She lay upon her bed, feeling frighteningly alone without the warmth of her Inuyasha next to her.

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Inuyasha sat in his cold, prison cell, a chain shackling him to the wall, feeling as alone and forlorn as his wife. He missed her soft warmth and loving tenderness. He gave a bitter smile in reminiscence as he thought of her. Although kind and caring, she also had a fiery temper and a stubbornness that matched his own. He remembered the day they met. He was so angry at her refusal to submit to him that he'd almost struck her. But he had not been able to deny at the same time that she was also very pretty and he was attracted to her.

If only he'd let that thief get away! To hell with his honor! It was not worth giving up his wife. With a heavy sigh, Inuyasha closed his eyes. In this time of darkness, he would allow himself nothing less than the comfort of his memories. He thought of Kagome's expressive face in times of anger, happiness, despair and bliss. He thought of the feel of her lips as he kissed her, warm and soft when they were gentle, and hot and fierce when they were passionate. He thought of their lovemaking, of how she would stroke her hands through his long, black hair and run them along his body.

His very being ached to be with her and now more than ever, he wished he'd at least left her with child so that he'd given a part of him to the woman he loved before being sentenced to meet two possible fates in which neither would allow him to be with her.

Two souls cried out desperately for one another that night and the gods watched down on them with pity. For Inuyasha and Kagome, three days were spent in agonizing anticipation, but eventually, the day of the Trial had arrived. Inuyasha was unsure whether he was more relieved or afraid.

As Kagome woke up that morning of the Trial, she slowly slipped on a black cloak to symbolize her mourning. Although she was wife of the accused, she had no more a special seating than a man who didn't care at all what would happen to her husband. Because of this, she planned on getting to the arena earlier, so that if Inuyasha chanced to look up, he would see her up in front, and see the her love for him in her eyes.

It took Kagome several hours to reach the arena. She could have taken a ride from the cart that was instructed to carry the citizens to there, but she preferred to walk with only her thoughts for company rather than suffer through listening to others speak of her husband not as a human being but as a show for entertainment. When she arrived at her destination, Kagome seated herself as far forward as possible and waited as a steady crowd flowed to the seats around her. She sat stiffly with her hands folded calmly in her lap, which belied the anxiety she felt rushing through her very veins.

Each minute passed excruciatingly slowly. The seats in the arena filled until each held an occupant and she had not moved an inch. Finally, feeling as if she'd waited a lifetime, the king entered the platform on which he was always seated. Lush, red curtains adorned the sides of the platform and hid most of it from view. The king sat solemnly in his golden throne, settling his large hands comfortably on the armrests of his chair. His subordinate beside him unraveled a scroll and held it out before him, announcing in a loud voice that nevertheless only reached half of his audience:

"We gather here today to place judgment on a man accused of thievery. The evidence is clear, but our gracious king allows even the lowliest of scum a chance to prove himself innocent. If this man, Inuyasha Taisho, is indeed innocent, the gods will direct him to the door that holds a Lady who shares blood with the very king himself. But if he is guilty, may the gods condemn him and give him to the Tiger who will deliver him his justice. Behold, the accused!"

Two sturdy, wooden doors creaked open ominously to reveal Inuyasha, and Kagome's breath caught in her throat. Oh, how ragged and weary he looked as he held up his hand to block the blinding sun! Her heart ached for him and she pressed a hand to her bosom for she feared it would beat right out of her chest.

"I bet he picks the tiger," a man next to her whispered to his wife, "he looks guilty, that 'un." He nodded sagely.

_What does he know?_ Kagome thought savagely. How she wished she could slap him and release her pent-up fury! Her eyes were aflame in anger, but she said nothing. Again, her mind drifted to her beloved's two fates. To see him open that tall, menacing door only to have him devoured by a ravenous tiger, its fangs sinking into his chest as he screamed in agony, while she _watched_… it was unthinkable. But to see as his face sagged in relief to encounter the gorgeous princess and hold her in his strong arms, the place where _she_ rightfully _belonged_… it was nearly equally unsavory. The thought made her burn in jealousy. But above all, she loved him like nothing else. She would not wish his death for _anything_.

And so, with hands fisted tightly in hope, she prayed the door he would pick would reveal the lovely woman that would be his new wife.

As Inuyasha stepped into the glaring rays of the sun he'd not seen in three days, his hands flung up to shade his sensitive eyes. He took measured steps that brought him nearer and nearer to his doom. For doom it was. Either he would become the feast for a starving tiger or he would betray the one person that meant the world to him. Before he stepped forward to open one of those cursed doors, he paused and looked into the crowd that was watching his every move. As if his vision had been drawn to her, his eyes focused on his beautiful wife, her eyes so very sad, shadowed by the hood of her cloak, but so full of love. His heart throbbed heavily in his ears and he tore his gaze away from her to approach the door on the right.

With the strength of his Kagome's undying support, he pulled the heavy wooden door open.

**TBC…**

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**A/N**: Yes, a cliffhanger. Well, what did you expect? That I'd actually give away which door he opened? But I think the summary was enough to make you suspect who exactly was behind that door. I hope you guys liked this! I'm really tired now. You guys know what to do next! There's that little blue box down there that's just waitin' for you to click on it! P 


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I can't think of anything witty to say right now, so I'll be blunt. I don't own Inuyasha. I also don't own the original story "The Lady or the Tiger?" by Frank Stockton.

**A/N**: Sorry for the wait! The next chapter won't be coming out for another couple of weeks, 'cause I'm going on vacation tomorrow. Wasn't it so nice of me to update before I left?

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**The Lady or the Tiger?**

**Chapter II**

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As Inuyasha struggled to open the tall, heavy door, the crowd held its breath in anticipation. Some watched hungrily, awaiting the tiger that would quench their bloodlust, and others, queasy of such gore, prayed for the princess to make her appearance.

The latter was not disappointed.

When Inuyasha finally managed to open the door far enough for the slim princess to slip out, she did so and wrapped her arms around him, kissing him on the cheek. The crowd roared in celebration (though some groaned in disappointment) and Inuyasha felt an inundation of shock and relief overwhelm his body. So great was this relief that, for a fraction of a moment, he even forgot about his wife sitting in the stands and returned the lady's embrace.

But that moment passed and he pulled away, feeling ashamed of betraying Kagome so freely.

"Come, husband-to-be, we must proceed to the wedding," the princess spoke softly, her perfect, luscious lips curved in an enchanting smile. She held out an inviting hand to him.

Inuyasha took this moment to properly look at the princess for the first time. She was very much a beauty. Her lustrous, black hair was twisted into an elegant bun. She wore an extravagant, white wedding gown that flowed along her body attractively. But she was, nevertheless, related to the semi-barbaric king and that wild barbarism sparked lightly in her gray eyes as she watched him with an otherwise calm face.

He ignored her outstretched hand and walked past her where a wedding was busily being prepared. "Isn't there some way that we could not go through with this marriage?"

"You do not wish to wed me?" The lady asked, a delicate eyebrow raised.

"No," he replied firmly, "I am already married." He relocated his wife in the crowd and attempted to lock eyes with her, but her eyes were downcast, hidden by the hood of her coat. He was hurt that she would not even look him in the eye.

"It matters not," she said softly. "It is the will of the king for us to marry. We will be husband and wife till the day we die. Surely your current wife cannot compete with one such as me?" She watched for his reaction out of the corner of her eye.

Inuyasha grew furious at her insult and his amethyst eyes flashed in anger. This princess was beautiful, but so was Kagome. Kagome was an innocent, loving sort of beauty, but a beauty nonetheless. "You have no idea what you're talking about. She'd outstrip you by a mile," he seethed through clenched teeth.

The lady seemed indifferent to his obvious fury.

"The wedding is ready, my betrothed. You'd best get over her because in a few moments, _I _will be your wife."

Inuyasha stalked past her coldly, approaching where an altar was being hastily erected. The king's subordinate that had served as the announcer just a half hour earlier had sighted him and was ambling towards him now.

"The ceremony will begin in just a moment, sir," the man told him, slightly hoarse, "If you would please approach the altar and bring with you your wife-to-be."

Inuyasha grunted and reached out an arm to drag the lady roughly behind him. Once he'd reached his destination, she snatched her arm away from him.

"That is no way to treat a lady!" She looked down her nose at him disdainfully. "I understand you may be reluctant to go through with this wedding, but really! You have no choice in the matter!"

_Oh, Kagome!_ He thought despondently, _What I wouldn't give to be here with you instead of this loathsome bitch!_ He looked up at the crowd to find his wife looking at him once again and he held her eyes with his, desperate to convey his feelings to her.

The old priest that was brought to hold the wedding cleared his throat noisily. The lady lightly pulled on Inuyasha's arm till he stood at her side. The priest cleared his throat again and spoke in a quavering voice, "We are gathered here today, to join Inuyasha Taisho and the princess Kikyou in holy matrimony to celebrate Taisho's innocence in his alleged crime. May the two of you live out the rest of your lives together in harmony and joy." Inuyasha noted wryly that he did not ask for objections to the union, as was customary during the wedding. "With the power vested in me, I now proclaim you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

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All eyes were upon Inuyasha, watching him expectantly. For a long moment, he did nothing and the priest lifted his old, graying eyebrows slightly. Kagome half-hoped that he wouldn't go through with it. Surely they couldn't _make_ him get married! Not if he already had a wife! She thought this anxiously as her hands clasped together. But then, her heart broke as she watched Inuyasha lean toward his new bride and deliver a chaste kiss to her lips. The crowd roared in celebration and in the midst of the joviality, no one heard the whimpering cry that escaped from Kagome's mouth.

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_I will love none other than you, Kagome_, Inuyasha vowed viciously as his mouth touched Kikyou's.

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It was night already when Inuyasha finally returned to his home, carrying a completely inebriated bride, limp in his arms. After the wedding, he'd hoped that he could ditch his new wife to find his old one and apologize on his hands and knees if need be, though none of this had been any fault of his. Then perhaps he could have kissed her long and hard to make her forget any of it had happened.

Unfortunately, he and Kikyou had been dragged off to the reception and then numerous parties in celebration of the marriage immediately afterwards, where Inuyasha had discovered the princess had quite a fondness for champagne. By the fourth or fifth party—he hadn't kept track—she could barely stand unaided and fell unconscious in his arms, giving him an excuse to take the much desired leave of the festivities.

No lights were on in the house and Inuyasha assumed Kagome had already gone to sleep. Unceremoniously, he dumped Kikyou onto the futon of the second bedroom he and Kagome had been planning to give to their future kids. The princess merely curled up on the bedding and gave a soft snore. Inuyasha gave a heavy sigh. He turned around and just as he was about to leave the room, he heard the frantic rustle of fabric behind him.

Curious, he turned his head to investigate and promptly froze when his saw Kikyou kneeling on the bed, devoid of all clothing—her dress, chest binding, and underpants on the floor. She was giving him a sultry look and with a hand, beckoned him to her side.

When he didn't move, she approached him, swaying her hips seductively. She neared until they were but a hair's breadth away from each other. Inuyasha was disgusted by the smell of alcohol on her breath. She placed a cool hand on his cheek and looked deep into his violet eyes.

"This is our wedding night, lover. This is the time for us to explore our desires."

"I have no desire for you." Inuyasha told her hoarsely, unwilling to admit that he was slightly aroused by the look of lust in her glazed eyes. "The only person I will ever 'explore desires' with is Kagome." He removed her hand from his cheek.

"Liar," she whispered. Kikyou took one of his hands and brought it to cradle her naked breast. "You want me."

"No," Inuyasha denied fiercely, snatching his hand away.

Something snapped in her that moment and he could see it in her barbaric eyes. She grabbed him and pushed him onto the futon with a strength he thought no princess could possess. She crawled onto him, straddling his stomach. "You are my husband!" She said angrily. "This is our wedding night! You have been denying me since the moment I met you and now you deny me of something precious, something all other married couples have! I want you to make love to me!"

Suddenly, the princess burst into tears and slumped onto his chest, overcome with her emotions.

Inuyasha stared at the top of her head shocked. Just earlier that morning, when he'd opened the door to "salvation", he believed this woman was incapable of emotion the way she completely disregarded his relationship with Kagome. But now, she was full of emotion, though it could have been, to some extent, due to the effects of the champagne.

He awkwardly patted at her back to sooth her, but she only cried harder and encased her slender arms around his neck.

Eventually, she stilled and drifted off to sleep, exhausted by her emotional outburst. Carefully, Inuyasha tried to pull her arms from his neck but to no avail. She had a ferocious grip on him, unwilling to let go. He gave up and instead slowly succumbed to a troubled sleep, just as tired by the day's events. His last thought was that Kagome would have to do without a bedmate for one last night.

* * *

After the Trial and wedding, Kagome had shuffled out of the stands just as the rest of the audience. It seemed symbolic in the idea that she was slowly flowing away from Inuyasha's life, now that he had a new wife. She felt unnervingly unimportant to him, just like those around him. What would become of her without Inuyasha by her side? 

Once she'd returned home, she waited for him to return as well, doing the daily chores distractedly.

Soon, the sun had set and her dear husband had still not returned. She began to worry. She sat patiently by the door and it wasn't until well past midnight when she decided to turn in for the night.

Not a few minutes after she laid her head on the pillow, Kagome heard someone enter the house. She knew by instinct it was Inuyasha. There were heavy footfalls, movements of one, and they turned into the bedroom next to hers. A brief silence. Then, she heard the low voices of two people through the cardboard thin walls. There was the rustling of movement that faded into another silence that remained unbroken.

Kagome turned on her side, facing away from the wall and tried to rest her weary eyes; all hopes of her husband returning to her bed were gone. And though she struggled valiantly to hold it back, a tear leaked out of the corner of her eye.

**TBC…**

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**A/N**: What'd you think of this chapter? Let me know and leave a review! There will probably be another one or two chapters left. This will be a very short story. I could probably make this into a one-shot if I tried, but where would be the fun in that?

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**Review Responses**

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**Mitsuki sama**: Haha, no you didn't offend me. In fact, I was very flattered! And you were absolutely right about the door. What you think I would just let him get killed off? Well, in case you were still doubting me, I hope this chapter cleared everything up! **crazyFORvampires**: Yes, I read the original in school and I liked it so much I was inspired to write a fic based on it! Of course… that was last, last year and I haven't gotten off my lazy ass to write it until now. As for your question, it should be fairly obvious after you've read it that the fanfiction is only loosely based on the concept of the original. I just felt that I _had_ to include some more romance and a happy ending! **V.X.O.**:gets pelted by rotten vegetables: Sorry! But it would be so less dramatic if I didn't leave a bit of suspense! But at least it wasn't too much of a cliffhanger this time! Not as angsty as I would have liked, but then again, I'm not really good at pulling off angst. **Dragon Man 180**: Hi **Dragon Man**! Thanks SO much for always sticking with my fics! It makes me feel TOTALLY warm and fuzzy inside! Your review really made me laugh. You were right! It is Kikyou even though I didn't mention her name until they were married. But don't worry, she won't be _too_ much of a bitch in this fic… at least not at the end. Whoops, I've said too much already! **doingz-aishinu**: Thanks! It's good you're enjoying this so far. Hopefully you'll like my version of the story as much as the original (highly doubtful, but one can hope…)! **AnimeBrat**: Hi! I'm really glad you also stuck with me, even with my yearlong lapse. I'm really sorry about that. Hopefully I can get up an update on Dr. Do-Youkai, cuz I know you like that one. Hope this chapter has met your expectations. Of course I wouldn't kill him! If I did I would have to go through a whole reviving thing to get Inuyasha living again and that would be just too complicated and tedious. **Trinity elise**: Oh, it won't be _too_ depressing. I'll have a happy ending, don't you fret. Sad endings just aren't my thing! **cutterforthecause**: Thanks! It seems a lot of people had already read the original short story! Well that's good, 'cause it's a really good story, and personally, I enjoyed it a lot. Good guess about the princess! You were right!


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